Railway-signal.



R. M. GILSON (I; F. H. NICHOLSON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I2. I9I3.

Patented Mar. '5, 1918. 3 SHEETS-SHEET I FIG .1

INVENTORY WITNESSES W @21 B. M. GILSONfi F. H. NICHOLSON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

1,258,404 APPLICATION nun MAY :2. 191a. Patented Mar. 5 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- R. M; GILSON 6; F. H. NICHOLSON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED um 12. 1913.

Patented M915, 1918.

3 $HEETS-8HET 3- mv 'rgrrons "m nonsm, 01s? 'WILKmSBURG,

PE NSYL NIA;@assuicmons {TO THE UiTIONSWITCJFNQ SIGNKL GQMPANY,,0F swxs's VALE, TENNSYLVANILA A CQBPORATJIIQNfO1? PENNSYLVANIA. l

' d certain new "gjhurc. (s1 umtmu (zontrolier {5 signal I, (on'lj ith' *onfi; pol'tiotxfiof which "is shown Lilli F151. 1) w;

u geax losing; gassing is, as here shown fix '1 27' by means of 0 m lita'hllc hen-rings in the, casing 13 is g; Shaft- 10 which pro ects 111'] rough it sult'able 1101a 11m, positions as "indimitml in flush lines i111? 1 55.125 but it 1m; J1 will thin which mounted the jrilo\'m1ml'1t'of t] [anger jpbsition 0'1" indication;

n 'ng'ja M11150? 3'6, a Stilt-0117' W'Indi-ng ii. The rotor, 11

danger posititm,

Also, it will be seen that; by mus-111 116mm- 111011,.1'110 motor may be emph {A to "Chuck-V :10 moving pm while the "nmphortylofi is Humming W f'GI' position in iresponsse r0111 s bias, as here: 7 inimflxel"explained." M

' m'ted also in Mm bar; 37 i's in holding' 'e'H the purposa of which is 1'50 hold the Kud in' the K 37; a

a m 51111 111 10 111161 "a piniml 1gi vnwnifl'ly, fmlil the horizonlial led Ia spindle V and the holding device H as hereinafter spider 12 which latter is fixed to the spindle is a shaft 25, which operates acircuit controller 28 forthe control of the motor M explained. This circuit controller 28 comprises a plurality of segments fixed "on the shaft and cooperating with suitable stationary contact fingers; only two of these segments 64 and 69 are shownin Fig. 1, but other segments and the contact fingers are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

The shaft 25 operates another circuit.

controller 33, which latter I will now describe, referring to Figs. 1 and 3.' This circuit controller 33 comprises a back plate 35 provided with an annular projection 35 which fits tightly inside of an annular socket in the end plate of circuit controller 23. The back plate 35 is secured to the end plate 40 by machine screws passing through holes 39 in the plate 35 and into tapped holes in plate 40. Shaft 25 extends through ahole 38 in back late 35. Mounted on the shaft 25 is a roc er arm 43; this arm43 is not fixed to the shaft 25 but is frictionally connected therewith so that as the shaft 25* rotates, it tends to swing arm 43 in one direction or the other.

according to the direction of rotation of the shaft. The friction between shaft 25 and 7 arm 43 is effected as follows: Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, 44 is a pinpassing through the shaft-25 and rigidly fixed therein. A circular block 45 of insulatinw material is provided with a central hole adapted to pass over the shaft 25, and also witha diameta nut '46 screwed onto the reduced and threaded end of shaft 25. It will be seen, therefore, that the block 45 is constrained to rotate with the shaft. Fixed to the shaft 25 by means ofa pin 42 is a cam 41, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Mounted on the shaft 25 between the block 45 and the arm 43 is a coiled spring 47; this spring is under compression, so that it presses arm43 against cam 41, thereby providingthe desired friction between the arm .43 and the shaft 25. The arm 43 is provided with a downwardly projecting tongue 43. Mounted on one side of this tongue are a pair of insulating studs 51 which carry a contact finger 58, and mounted on the other side of the tongue are a similar pair of insulating studs 52 which carry a contact finger 59. Riveted to fingers 58 and 59, respectively, are contact springs 58 and 59"; each of which is bent back 011- itself, and which carry at their outer ends contact blocks 60 and 61, respectively. These blocks 60 and 61 are adapted to make electrical contact with opposite. sides of a stationary contact block 62 carried by a terminal post 63 which is mounted in the back plate 35. Itwill .be seen that when arm 43 is swung in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, contact 62-6l is closed and contact 62-430 is open, and that when the arm. 43 is swung in the clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, the former contact is open and the latter is closed. The angular movement of the arm is limited by two screws 65 and '66 carried'by the arm 43 and adapted to engage with a square stud 67 riveted in the back plate 35. This stud passes through a hole 68 in the arm 43,

and the inner ends of screws 65 and 66 project into this hole.

The upper end of arm. 43 is provided with a shoulder 72 which is adaptedto be en-.

gagcd attilne's by a dog 73 to prevent the arm swinging into such position as to close contact 60-62. The dog 73 -1s carried freely by a stud 75 fixed in the back plate 35, and is biased to position for engagement with shoulder72 by gravity and by a coiled dog 73 is, at the proper time in the operation of the signal, raised out of position for engagement with the shoulder 72 by the cam 41, which the position of the parts as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The operation and purpose of the dog 73 and cam 41 will be explained hereinafter.

Projecting from the back plate 35 aretwo lugs 49 and 50. Fixed to the lug 49'are two insulating studs "56 which carry an upwardly extending contact finger 77, and similarly fixed to lug 50 are two insulating studs 57 which carry an upwardly extending contact finger 7 6. These contact fingers are adapted to make electrical contact with a segment 78 of electro-conductive material mounted on the block 45. The segment. 78

fixed to the block 45 by a bolt 79 passing through a. hole in the block and through a slot 80 in the segment. The slot 80 is arcshapedand permits of angular adjustment of the segment 78 on the block 45.

The parts of circuit controller 33 are protected by a cover 71 which is held in place by a nut 7 O screwing on the reduced and threaded end of stud 67.

Referring now to Fig. 4, we have here shown four successive block sections, A, B, C- and D of a railway track over which traliic moves normally in the direction indicated. by the arrow. Trafiic through block sections A, Band C, is governed by signals S, S, and S located respectively adjacent the entering ends of these block sections.

A, it (M 1510 a tzlm 0.1mm? 01 The holchng (1m we mils bi" Hm block aviation om whichfihtz net 1m] S, so Hm [1' this: 5 ml alumgsin passe; 01H; nil;,bluck sucticm I3; energized "in HUCh ml-mum"um .1, but 191mm."

"finger 8 H wi H O'lJBll'tQ the 1110mm. M to move the -s1gn'n1 S tfiward tlm caution position. Duvmg-tho moflangmt of the 'signal from danger "cztiztiun [J0s1iii011s,ut11 friction between .1\: iiF z'lnrl' arm .13 swings this man 43 1:0

11ml the motor circuit just traced. is opened by Se' 'n'mnt'w"leaving Contact fingm' 86 m .lc-mntm' 1110,11 stops. At; this What $31 (If huld'ing device H Renew gh, the follhwing circuit: :frmn 07 through wire 83, (101mm; 33;

7 mg relay 'I 1;%=sn"that contact 82 i s law 7 1'1 111' S is thun mmrgizedthrough the follow ,in g'fcix miitz" from; sectmchuy 107 oftrzms- H1011 i hlimigh. W311? 88 110 564}- (Mrrmfl: m this circuit operlfnomr M: to the mg'zml tnthe 82, wires 945411141 98, filigefifiil) lingo inding 31, "\fii' [and 881 0 acon'c try 107." Thu parts 61%? vmocha ism oifsiglml's m ndvhiehthe pin-bu 'lgliml :iro ahm'v'n from (1:111 gta 1."

:is'thmtclosed! Motor M of'slgy tiojugrmxti in 5111*!) p0silai011 that; Contact 161-4552 clnsmi. a I Jupsli the slgjml. wens-11031110 cuutlou p051- ed by this signzyixwas reversed, thercbyf of the holding device H for thissignal so that the signal would then be free to return by gravity toward the caution position. As

soon as this return movement begins, the friction between shaft 25 and arm d3 moves this arm to such position that contact 62-430 is closed. Then after the signal has moved to such point that segment 78 bridges con tact fingers 7 6 and 77, motor M of this signal would be energized through the following circuit: from secondary 107 of transformer '1, through wire 83, contact 82, wires 84 and 89, contact (SQ-60, finger 77, segment 78, finger 76, wires 6, 97,- and 87 then through windings 55 and 5st of motor M,

resistance 3% being in series with winding coming to rest the signalis moved a short distance toward its clear position by the motor M, but after being thus moved one or two degrees, the friction between shaft 25* and arm 43 moves this arm so that contact 62-60 opens, thereby deenergizing motor M and closing contact til-62. The signal Sis then held in the caution position by the same circuit for winding 31 as traced hereinbefore in explaining how the signal is held in the caution position.

It will be. seen from the foregoing that while a signal is moving from the danger position to the caution or clear position, the arm 43 is locked by dog 73 in such position that contact 62-61 is closed and that the arm is unlocked only a short distance before it reaches the clear position. Hence,it will be seen that the motor M can operate to retard the movement of the signal only while the latter is moving from the clear position toward the caution position.

Although we have herein shown and de scribed only one form of railway signal embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus descrlbed our invention,

what we claim is: r

control of said circuit and operated by said arm to be open when the arm is oscillated in one direction by movement of the signal away from its biased position and closed when the arm is oscillated in the other direction by movement of the signal toward its biased position, a dog for holding said arm in such position that the circuit controller operated thereby is open and a cam operated by said shaft for releasing said dog when the signal reaches a predetermined point in its movement.

2. In combination, a signal biased to danger position of indication, a motor opera-V tively connected with the signal to move it to caution and clear positions, and to move with the signal while the latter is returning toward its biased position, means for holding the signal in the caution and clear positions, a circuit for said motor to retard the signal while returning toward the danger position in response to its bias, a circuit controller for the control of said circuit, and frictional means interposed between the signal and the circuit controller tending to open the circuit controller while the signal is moving away from its biased position and to close the circuit controller while the signal. is moving toward its biased position, means for locking said circuit controller open while the signal is moving away from its biased position, whereby if the signal returns toward its biased position before reaching a predetermined point the said circuit will notbe closed, and means for re leasing said locking means when the signal reaches said predetermined point in its movement. i

3. In combination, a signal. biased to dan ger position of indication, an electric inotor operatively connected with the signal to move it to caution and clear positions and to move with the signal. while the latter is returning toward its danger position, a source of operating current for the motor, a circuit including said source for energizing the motor, a circuit controller for controlling said circuit, frictional means-interposed between the signal and said circuit controller tending to open said circuit controller While the signal is moving away from its biased position and to close the circuit controller while the signal is moving toward its biased position, means for locking said circuit controller open while the signal is moving away from its'biased position, means for releasing said locking means when the signal reaches a predetermined point between the caution and clear positions, and a second eircuitcom troller operated by the signal for the con trol ot said (111(2l11t5 saidsecond circu t controller bei'n closed onlv dnrin a )ortion L: n C

clear and the caution positions. a v

4:. In coinhimition, a signal blttfi-ltitlllUWttl'fl of the movement of the signal lJQbWOQl'! the one position (it indication and )ahle ol' lJhing moved away jll'OIII said position against the action ol: the l'iiasing force; means ll Ol" retarding; the signal during its movement in response to its bias, and ineans lrictionally connected .with. said :iignalymd tending to throw said retarding inoansjinto or out of operation according as the signal is ing in response toor in opposition biasing force, and otherineans contro by said sigiial and operating vhile the signal. is moving in ,op 'msitionto its bias to prevent said retarding means boii'ig thrown 7 into operation by reversal oi thesignal: un; til the signal has reached a predetermmed point in its movement.

5. In eoinbinatoina signal biased to stop position, a motor operatively connected therewith to move the signal. tocantion and clear posi ens in opposition to its bias and to more with the signal While the latter 1S returning in response to its bias, a ll'lQTIllJGl.

'lrictionally operated by the signal and moved into one position or another acco.rdY-* ing as the signal is moving in one direction or the other, two contacts controlled by said member one or the other being closed according as said inen'iber occupies one posi 6. In coinhination, a signal biased to one" position oi indication, a motor.operatively connected. therewith to more the signal to another position of indication andto move With the signal wl'iilo the latter returning in response to its bias, two contacts con trolled by said signal one or the other he-l ing closed according as the signal moves in one direction orthe other. a circuit for the (topic: of this patent may be obtained for motor controlled by the contact which is "closed while the signal is moving in response 5 5 3 to its bias tor arrestmg the signal, and a holding device controlled by the other con tact for holding the signal.

"7. In. combination, a signal biasedto one position of indieatioin a motor operatively connected therewith to more the signal to another position of indication and to move with the signal While the latter is returning in ri-isponse. to its bias. two contacts controlled by said signal. one or the other being closed according as the signal moves in one direction or the other, a circuit for the motor controlled by; the contact which is closed while the signal is moving in response to its I bias "for arresting the signal in an 1nter1nediate position during such movement and for causing a slight movement of the signal in the opposite directionsullicient to reverse said contacts, and a holding device con "trolled by the other contact for retaining 7 said. signal: aiter said contacts have been reversed.

' 8.111 combination, a signal biased to one position. of indication, a motor operatively connected therewith to move the signal to another position of indication and to move with thefsignal While the latter is returning in. response to its bias, a circuit for the m0- {tor for causing the latter to retard the signal While returning in response to lts bias,

a contact for controlling said circuit, means controlled by the signal tending to close or opensaid contact according as the signal is moving toward or away from its biased position,, and means for locking said contact intho open position. while the signal is moving away 15].0111 its biased position and for releasing said contact when the signal reaches a predetermined position during such. i'novement.

In testimony whereof we aflix our sigmatllflGS, each in the presence of two Witnesses.

I a ROBERT M. (Tt-ILSON.

. ll itncsses as to Gilson: R. L. KIsTLnR j A. HERMAN W roman.

FRAN K H. NICHOLSON. j Witnesses as to Nicholson:

' BENJ. H. VAN Nose, Moses J. DEWITT.

five cents each, p y addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D; 0. 

